The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-09-17
The Prevention of Fire.
From The FYremen,s Rernla

From the FEremen'a Herald.
The Importance of being always ready
and on the watch for fire cannot be too
forcibly impressed on the minds of property
holders, as well as those officials whose duty
it is to see to such matters, and it should
not be allowed to overshadow the para
mount importance of preventing fires. It
is as well to be prepared to fight fires as it
is plaques, but how much better to employ
that caution and prudence which render
the chance for such calamities a remote
possibility. Take the case of cholera,
Should we be satisfied with simply proyid.
ing skilled physicians, hospitals, and other
means for the treatment Of the disease
Certainly not, but such caution should
not be overlooked; but to strike at the life
Of the plague we must endeavor to prevent
its introduction in our midst. So with fire.
Our first and chief effort should be to pre-
vent its breaking out. To do this success
fully not only requires legal and moral re,
straint, but care in the construction of
buildings, the handling of FIRE, and thou
sand other things that come only to the
notice of those who preside over the house
holds. The average property owner has
little regard for the safety of his tenants,
his ambition is to put up his building with
as little cost as possible, and get the greatest
amount of rent he can squeeze out of his
tenants, and let them take their chances
of roasting to death in their apartments.
Speculative builders second the owner in
his efforts, because they can make more
money cut of a "skin'' job of building than
they can out Of an honest one.
So long as self interests rule, private citi-
zens have no rights that the average legis-
lator is bound to respect. Add to this the
political influence that must be consulted,
and it is little wonder that our laws are
faulty, or that some of them virtually offer
a premium for reoklessness and rascality.
Nearly One-third of all fires are caused
by incendiarism. These may, at least, in a
certain sense be considered unavoidable,
All, or nearly all, remaining fires may be
looked upon as preveutahle, being mainly
caused BY caEelessuess or by defective build
ing constructions, or by defective heating
or lighting arrangements.
Defective fues stand at the head of this
list, fact which | desire to emphasize, as
such fires would obviously not occur if the
builder, tho architect and the mason would
pay proper attention to the construction of
chimney fiues, and see if all woodwork is
kept at safe distance from, or that no
joisls are built into the masonry of flues, or
worse, left to project into them.
Take almost any block of buildings and
we find its cellars and garrets used for
purposes which endanger the safety of the
whole of the buildings. Wooden pales and
boxes Glled with ashes, closets full of old
paper and rags, and usually liberal supply
of coal oil, and generally Shiny roof sur
mounting the whole, and most likely to
facilitate the progress of fire.
Only short time ago one Of our promi-
nent merchants informed me that his in
surance had been cancelled because of the
dangerous condition in which the insurance
inspector found things upon the upper
floors. l would respectfully suggest that
some competent person be appointed to look
after such matters, and that as far as posi-
BILE authority given him to enforce such
regulations as will prevent in future such
occurrence, as alluded to.